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In our emails, sent once or twice a week, you'll receive:
• alerts on new threats to Washington's environment
• opportunities to join other Washingtonians on urgent actions
• updates on the decisions that impact our environment
• resources to help you create a cleaner, greener future

Much of this virtually limitless solar potential resides in cities, and local leaders across the country can help us lead a major transition to renewable energy — a boon to the climate, public health and our pocketbooks.

And yet, despite all the benefits solar power can deliver to the American public, the current federal administration seems set on encouraging coal mining over clean energy.

It’s unfortunate, and frankly, wrong, that the Trump administration aims to dismantle the Clean Power Plan and instead emphasize fossil fuel extraction. We know that solar is not politically divisive in the public — recent pollsshow that 91 percent of Americans agree we should place the same or more emphasis on solar power.

In the absence of federal leadership, states and cities will need to pick up the slack. They can do it, and we’re already seeing it happen in communities across the country.

While we encourage cities to keep pushing forward, it’s equally important not to slide backwards on the progress we’ve already made. State officials should resist efforts by fossil fuel interests and some major utilities to undercut solar power. These types of attacks, oftentimes carried out in deceptive ways, continue today in several states.

With leadership from cities across country, we can keep the solar revolution on track to help power our lives with 100 percent renewable energy. We know we can and must get there, but how quickly will depend on the will of leaders in our cities, states and institutions.

Let’s lean into solar and let the sunshine in.

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Here are the top 10 cities for installed solar power, as of 2016:

San Diego, Calif.

Los Angeles, Calif.

Honolulu, Hawaii

San Jose, Calif.

Phoenix, Ariz.

Indianapolis, Ind.

New York, N.Y.

San Antonio, Texas

Albuquerque, N.M.

Las Vegas, Nev.

Here are the top 10 cities for installed solar power per capita, as of 2016: